2 Problems with my Xantia

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lazza
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2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

HI Forum

Many apologies for so long out of contact. The fact is I've been extremely busy setting up a Renewable Energy business here, and really the car has been performing superbly in the last couple of years.

However, unfortunately it has just developed two big problems:
  • I first noticed it was losing water, and having looked underneath it seems to be coming from the union of several cooling hoses at the back of the engine. It seems to be a plastic-type connector- I cant quite be sure exactly where the leak is coming from- it may be from the old hose "cap" or kind of stump thing, that you can see in the pictures, but i'm tempted to replace the entire unit.
  • The other problem, i think has been caused by the hot water dripping onto the gaiter for the steering rack. I guess this is pretty serious and it will fail it's MOT (ITV in spain) due shortly.
Could anyone adivse me on how to perform these two operations, all advice would be much appreciated

Many thanks
Larry

ps Forum looks great with the new design. Hope to be able to contribute more in the future.
Attachments
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Last edited by lazza on 03 Jun 2012, 14:50, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by VertVega »

lazza wrote:
  • ... I first noticed it was losing water, and having looked underneath ....
  • ... gaiter for the steering rack...
Pics shows that connection area has been modified earlier. Some of the hose clips are not the original ones,
You can try by making them tighter. If you're lucky that would solve the problem.
Otherwise search if there are cracks.

Gaiter split is not necessarily caused by the coolant water but it has to be replaced.
You have to remove the drive shaft. It looks like it's the inner joint and the tripod there
should not suffer lack of lubricant for a long time.

Edit: Front wheel hub nut might be very tight and it has tightening torque of 320 Nm :shock: :)
- Since gearbox oil must be drained, replacing it would be fine. 2 l of Total 75W80.
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by citroenxm »

ah now.. you CAN kill two birds with one stone here.. the water junction is plastic and iirc is still available new.. the easyest way to do it is remove the drivers drive shaft complete and remove the half shaft carrier / bottom mount too!!! this gives you all the space and huge acess to do the junction house.. i have done this on a Y reg xantia and its just not worth the hassle leaving the half ahaft / bottom engine mount in place!! after the shaft is out its only 4 bolts holding it on the back of the engine plus the mount bolt. the engine will swing but it wont go far...

good luck!!

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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by CitroJim »

That's good advice indeed Paul :-D

There's also an O ring behind the water manifold and it's essential to replace that at the same time.

A split inner CV joint boot is an MOT fail here now but one good thing is that it's not hard to replace once the driveshaft is out. You'll need a cone to do the job though and be very careful of the tripod rollers. They rotate on a naked needle race and if you're not cautious and a roller comes apart you'll have needle rollers everywhere. Pull the joint apart carefully and tightly wrap a clean, close-fitting plastic bag around it to keep everything in place.

Lubricate the joint liberally with CV grease as it looks a bit dry now from the photo...
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

Thanks very much for your replies- Looks like i will have quite a job on my hands- but as you say, can kill two birds with one stone.

Bearing in mind I dont have any power tools- I have a few questions:

1. Will I be able to do the job myself or will I need power tools? ie a cone?
2. What's iirc?
3. What's the half shaft carrier / bottom mount too? any photos?
4. What does CV stand for?

Please excuse all the questions-- it's a while since i've done this!

Cheers
Larry
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by VertVega »

lazza wrote:...
1. Will I be able to do the job myself or will I need power tools? ie a cone?
2. What's iirc?
...
4. What does CV stand for?
1. not necessarily, Watch these videos for some tips :wink:
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2. iirc = If I remember correct

4. CV = Constant velocity. Better to think it as drive shaft. There are two of them in front, right and left.
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by CitroJim »

Larry, the water manifold is easy enough with ordinary tools but the driveshaft (CV) joint gaiter will need quite a few specials. The cone is just that, a hollow plastic 'trumpet' that allows the new gaiter to be expanded in order to slip over the triax. You could try a split 'repair' gaiter but in my experience they're rubbish. They promise no disassembly required but I can't make them work and in the Xantia there's insufficient room to have any sort of hope unless you remove the driveshaft first and then you're best off using the proper gaiter anyway.

Tools required to remove the driveshaft are:

35mm hub nut socket and very stout and long breaker bar. That hub nut will be TIGHT!
Balljoint splitter, a good meaty one as discussed in a recent thread.
Long cold chisel and big club hammer to drift the driveshaft intermediate bearing out of its housing. This is the housing Paul suggests removing to make access to the water manifold easier...

In addition to the usual jack, axle stands and normal hand tools etc.

No power tools are required though...
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by CitroJim »

Larry, on a totally unrelated point. Our forum mail server is bouncing your emails. It looks like the email address associated with your account is no longer working as the distant end claims your mailbox doesn't exist.

Can you supply us with an updated email address please?

Thanks :)
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

Ok thanks everyone

not sure where i can get hold of a balljoint splitter or cone here in southern Spain, but will look into it.

Cheers
Larry

ps My email is *************************** ... not sure why it should be bouncing mails.. strange
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by myglaren »

The one you have on the forum is different Larry.
I will correct it and remove the reference from here to avoid unwanted attention.
Will sent a test email but it won't be an FCF address but a gmail one it comes from
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

HI

Ok, i think i can get hold of the following:
  • A 35mm hub nut socket
  • The cone and gaiter
  • The plastic water junction
  • A breaker bar
I'd like some advice on purchasing the ball joint splitter- in the following website there are various- it's the only place i can get hold of this sort of thing down here:

http://www.premier-tools.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... put "ball joint" in the search box, and several ball joint splitters come up... which one would be best to buy?

What do i actually need the ball joint splitter for?

I'm hoping to get hold of everything for next week and not have any nasty surprising once i start taking things apart- lack of tools is always my biggest concern

Cheers
Larry

ps bit confused post by VertVega- "- Since gearbox oil must be drained, replacing it would be fine. 2 l of Total 75W80" Why would i have to change gearbox oil?
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by CitroJim »

Larry, you're after a splitter like this one from Halfords

I could not see one on the site you linked to but then I got lost in the Spanish...

It's used to disconnect the lower swivel joint after undoing the 35mm hub nut so the hub can be pulled forward to enable driveshaft removal.

You need to drain the gearbox of oil as when you pull the driveshaft gearbox end out most of the the oil will run out. You'll need 1.7l of 75W-80 oil to refill. You must only use that grade..

Do you have a Haynes manual to basically guide you? The jobs you will be doing are well enough explained there. If not, get one before you start and have a good read-up... If not that, perhaps there's a Spanish Haynes or even go for the French one. They're called something like Revue Technique or something similar...
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

HI Jim

Yes, thanks I do have the Haynes Manual.. so i'll have a read of that.

This looks like the same tool: http://www.premier-tools.com/products/0 ... rator.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It goes from 19mm to 38mm, is that sufficient?
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Re: 2 Problems with my Xantia

Post by lazza »

HI

A couple of questions before I start the job.

1. Haynes Manual says I should replace the lower suspension ball joint nut and the circlip in the driveshaft joint. Is this really essential? Or can I keep the old ones on?

2. When I take of the bottom engine mount as Paul suggested.. is there any risk of the engine falling on top of me?

3. Was thinking about changing the gearbox driveshaft seal at the same time... is this a good idea?

Cheers
Larry
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Post by addo »

New nuts are good practice. In times of poverty you might peen the top edge of a Nyloc slightly to squish the nylon inwards more. If a circlip is removed with the proper tool and shows zero corrosion, I would not bother to renew it. That sort of behaviour is for aircraft - your car will not usually drop from 8000 feet if a circlip busts.

Your left and right motor mounts are "failsafe" in that complete tearing of the rubber will not let the motor drop. HOWEVER I have seen left side mounts where the threaded post (or stud) has suffered serious corrosion and become half original thickness.

If you are not fully comfortable with driveshaft seal renewal, leave it. Better a weep of oil than frustration at a nastier outcome.
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